


The Fire Watches- Bijjaladeva

by arpita



Series: Agni Parva [2]
Category: Baahubali (Movies)
Genre: Canon, Canon Compliant, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-04-22 23:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19138786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arpita/pseuds/arpita
Summary: Bijjaladeva hears his brother Vikramdeva get coronated as King. As is expected, he doesn't take it very well.





	The Fire Watches- Bijjaladeva

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/gifts).



> 1\. The names used here are all used with respect to the movie, Baahubali: The Beginning. None of the names or character outlines are based on the prequel book - The Rise of Sivagami, by Anand A Neelakantan.

The Palace of Maahishmati was rejoicing in ecstasy, after all, this was the day Vikramdeva had been coronated as King. Like his father before him, the new King was kind, and benevolent to a fault, so much so that he was given precedence over his elder brother, Bijjaladeva. 

The celestial fire roared at the pinnacle of the majestic palace, as the young Royal took his vows underneath it.

"Do you, Yuvaraj Vikramdeva vow to abide by the codes in spirit for the well-being of your subjects?" The Royal Priest asked him.

"Yes, I do." Pat came the reply.

"Do you vow to protect them from the perils of adversaries, and, internal foes alike, even when your life shall be at stake." came the next question.

"Always." Vikramdeva smiled once again in assent, as his father beamed proudly.

"Rise, Yuvaraj, and bow in front of Agnishwara before your Father bestows the Crown of Maahishmati on you." 

The Prince followed the instruction accordingly, as he bowed in reverence before The Lord who kept watch over their land. His Father, finally placed the Crown on his head, handing over the Land to be reigned by him.

"Today, you've set me free, child." He beamed happily as he embraced his son. To the old King, it seemed as if the boy resembled the Lord himself, warming everyone in his benevolent herald as he vowed to watch over them.

"Where is Bijjala, Father?" he asks looking around for his brother, who strangely was absent throughout the panoply of his coronation.

The King sighed in resignation. The loss of the crown had hit his elder son hard, as he had expected. 

"Don't bother with him, Son." He spoke with feigned nonchalance.

"But-" Vikram protested, only to be interrupted by his father.

-"He'll come around." The elderly man smiled as he patted the newly-coronated King on his shoulder. 

***

Maahishmati was engrossed in a tumult of jubilation while welcoming the new King. So occupied were they in their joy that no one, not one amongst them, noticed the absence of one member of the Royal Family.

Bijjaladeva cast a glance at his deformed hand, as if willing it to be as strong as his other hand was. 

"You have no claim to the throne,"- his Father had enunciated in front of the entire court to hear, -"You shall be the King's advisor, as he might require, but you shall not be King." 

Exasperated, and frustrated, he tossed the goblet in his hand into the fireplace. 

**"No claim to the throne?!" **He roared, as his fist crashed on the centretable in his chamber, his sole audience being the fire that crackled away in the fireplace.****

****The fragile piece of furniture broke into smithereens with a crash loud enough to send a tremulous shockwave through the chamber. None of his attendants dared come anywhere close to him while the Elder Prince was in a temper.** **

****" _ **Why Agnishwara?!**_ " He roared, **"WHY?!"** ** **

The Lord seemed to look at him, as if he were indifferent. 

**"You look after everyone!"** He goaded on in his stupor, **"Does my maimed hand make me any different?!"**

**His insides burnt with a rage like never before. It seemed as if The Lord himself had struck root within his being.**

_King Nila had borne The Lord's wrath when he had dared to take Him to task. Humbled with immediate effect, the King had sought reconciliation as Agnishwara had agreed to watch over Maahishmati for all time to come._

_If The Lord found it fit to be within him in his rage, Bijjaladeva wasn't one to grudge Him His will. If anger was his only way to the Throne, so be it._

_As you wish, Lord,_ he bowed to the Fire facing him. 

_If it isn't me, it shall be the one who comes after me,_ he vowed, as his younger brother ascended to the Throne of Maahishmati. 


End file.
